Vacuum cleaner



Jan. 4, 1938. D. M. DOW

VACUUM CLEANER Filed July 10, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 4,1938. D. M. DOW

VACUUM CLEANER Filed July 10, 1936 2 Sheets$heet 2 INVENTOR my L 5 A TTORNEY Patented Jan. 4, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE on "Application my 10, me, Serial No. races 8 Claims. (01. 1pm

This invention relates to vacuum cleaners and has as its object to provide improvements in means controlled from the upper end 01' the handle for adjusting the height of the cleaner 5 nozzle. The invention deals particularly with a type of cleaner in which the tan case is rigidly secured to the handle and swings therewith around the axis 01' rotation of its impeller onwhich axis the fan case and handle are pivoted to the re- 19 mainder oi the cleaner. One object of the invention is to provide a handle controlled height adjustment of a practical nature in connection with a cleaner this type. To thisend, the invention specifically contemplates the use or a I? control element in the tormoia flexible wire or cable extending through the handle and around the spiral periphery of the tan case which acts as a slideway for such wire or cable, in connection with height adjusting means which is disposed- 20 beneath the fan case and, therefore, at least par-' tially concealed.

Another object of the invention is to provide an arrangement in which the position of adjustment may be indicated at the upper end 01' the handle.

Further objects will appear in the perusal of 25 the following detailed description of the invention in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a vacuum cleaner 3o embodying the invention,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of portions thereof,

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on the line 8-3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a cross section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2,

. Fig. 5 is a cross section taken on the line 5-! of Fig. 2,

Fig. 6 is a detail view of a modification of the 40 invention,

Fig. 7 is a rear elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 6. r

Fig. 8 is a detail view of another modification oi the invention,

45 Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 9-! of Fig. 8,

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 6 of another modification of the invention, Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken on the line 50 li- --llof 113.10, and

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 6 of another modification of the invention.

'I'hetype of cleaner to which the invention is particularly adapted embodies the suction 5g chamber Ill having a downwardly opening agitator chamber or a nozzle portion ii and two upwardly opening throat portions II to which are secured elbows l3. 'Iihe fan case M is pivoted between the elbows II and has inlets communicating therewith. The handle I! is se- 5 cured tothe tan case M by means of a saddle it which is concealed within a cape member i'i irictionally secured thereto.

The construction Just described is similar to that disclosed in my prior application 8. N. 84,072 10 illedJune 8, 1936. 1

The cleaner is supported upon front wheels it andrear wheels I 8. the latter being attached to a rear wheel bracket 20 whlchis hinged at it to the throat member I! as by means oi hinge 15 brackets 22.

The invention in theiorm shown in Fig. 2 provides a rider 2: disposed on an arc concentric to the axis of pivotal movement of the tan case and engaging a roller 2! rotatably mounted on the bracket 20. The rider 23 is attached to the tan case by means of toggle links 25 pivoted to the ian caseat 26 and to the rider 23 at 21. The

toggle links 2! connect the rider 23 to the fan case in such a manner that the rider may swing in a direction which is compounded oi circumierential and radial movements. The movement in an outward direction is induced by pulling the rider in a. circumferential direction by means oi the flexible wire or cable 28 which is attached at one end to the rider and at its other end after extending around the periphery of the fan case and through the handle I8, is wound upon a reel 28 journalled in the upper end of the handle. The rider is urged in the other direction by a spring 30, one end of which is attached to the fan case at II. and the other end of which is attached to the rider at 21. F

The end regions of the rider 23 are slotted (as shown for the modification in Fig. '7) to 40 receive the peripheral bead portion 12 of the fan case. This provides a sliding connection which holds the rider against lateral movement and. yet allows it to move circumierentiaily. The rider is preferably channel shaped in cross section, the trunnions 2'! of the toggle links 25 being Journalled in the side flanges or the channel and the spring ll being received in the space within the channel.

Thereel 29 is provided with an operating wheel or the like a which has an indicating dial it cooperating with an indicating arrow 35 on the handle to indicate the position of adjustment. In accordance with the position of the wheel the reel ll/will determine the circumferential position of the wire 28 and the rider 23 and, therefore the radial position of the rider 23. -The rider being disposed on an arc concentric with the axis of swinging movement of the handle may ride against the roller 24 without disturbing the adjustment oi the bracket which is determined in accordance with the radial position of the rider 23. Thus the handle may be moved during the operation of the cleaner without interiering in any way with the adjustment of the nozzle which may, nevertheless, be instantly altered by the control mechanism carried by the handle.

Instead of the toggle links 25, the invention may provide cams a formed on the rider 23a and cooperating with cams 25b attached to the Ian case M. The action is similar, the cams functioning to cause the rider to move radially in response to circumferential movement.

In the form shown in Fig. 12 the roller 24a is attached to the fan case and rides against an arcuate bracket member 20a which carries the wheels IS. The arcuate face against which the roller 24a rides is concentric with the axis of swinging movement of the fan case so that the fan case may be oscillated without disturbing the height adjustment, which is controlled by the radial position of the roller 24 mounted on a bell crank lever 36 fulcrumed at 31 upon the fan case. The control wire 28 is attached to the other end of the lever. A spring 38 urges the bell crank lever in a direction to movethe roller 24a toward the fan case.

In all of the forms of the invention heretofore described height adJustment may be indicated with the upper end of the handle.

In the form shown in Figs. 8 and 9 the adjustment may be effected from, but not indicated at, the upper end of the handle. Adjustment is effected by simply moving the wire 28 through a single range or movement suflicient to cause the slidably mounted finger 39 to engage a pair of bell crank levers 40 which are formed integrally with a pair of retracting bolts ll rotatably mounted in the bracket 20b. A teat 42 formed in the bracket 20b engages the screw groove 43 of each bolt II and causes the bolt to be retracted when the levers 40 are pushed forwardly so as to remove the bolts from their connection with holes 44 in the brackets 22a. Thebrackets 22a are secured to the throat members l2 and serve both as the hinge of the brackets 23b at 2i and as keepers to receive the bolts 40.

The finger 39 has a slide portion 45 slidably mounted in a slideway 46 on the fan case'and embracing the peripheral bead 32.

In the operation of this form or the invention, the pull upon the wire 28 causes the arm 39 to move the bell crank lever to a position to retract the bolts 4|. The bracket 20b is then free to move around its hinge axis'2i in accordance with pressure exerted upon the fan case by the operator either to depress the same or to lift it up.

The pressure to lift the fan case upwardly will be supplied by a spring 41 urging the bracket 20b downwardly. The pressure to move the fan case downwardly, of course, will be provided by the operator's bearing down on the handle. Utilizing these two opposing forces the operator may cause the bracket 20b to move from one position to another of the four-positions in which the bolts 40 may engage and lock in the apertures 44 in the bracket 22a.

In the form shown in Figs. 10 and 11 the position of the bracket 20b is determined by telescoping spring repelled plungers 50 engaging depressions 5| in the brackets 22a. Adjustment of the bracket 20b in one direction is provided by a bell crank lever 52, one end of which is adapted to engage the bracket 20b and the other end of which is attached to the wire 28. The position of radial projection of the lever 52 de termines the position to which the bracket 23!) will be pushed when the'handle is moved downwardly to .bring the bracket 22 in operative engagement with the bracket 20b. The lever 52 is operative for moving the bracket- 20b downwardly. For causing it to move upwardly the operator may simply bear down upon the handle while holding it in both hands causing the fan case and the hinge 2| to move downwardly relative to the wheels 19.

It will be seen that the invention in all of its forms provides adjusting mechanism which is largely concealed below the fan case and a control mechanism operated from the upper end or the handle including a flexible wire extending down through the handle substantially tangent to the periphery of the fan case, thence between the cape member I1 and the fan case, slidingly bearing against the periphery of the fan case and thence attached to the adjusting mechanism. This solves a problem which would be present if the wire 28 were forced to travel around a sharp corner, namely, that of the destructive action of bending, that oi the resistance to movement caused by the sharp bending, and that of arranging the adjusting mechanism in an inconspicuous location.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a vacuum cleaner, 9. body portion, a fan case rotatably attached thereto on a transverse horizontal axis, and disposed in a longitudinal vertical plane, a handle rigidly attached to the Ian case, adjustable means supporting said body portion, and control means including a flexible element extending through the handle and around a portion of the periphery of said fan case, for efleeting adjustment of said supporting means.

2. In a vacuum cleaner, a body portion, a fan case attached thereto-on a transverse horizontal axis and disposed in a longitudinal vertical plane, a handle attached to the fan case, adjustable means supporting said body portion and control means including a flexible element extending through the handle and around a portion of the periphery of said i'an case, for efiecting adJustment oi. said supporting means.

3. In a vacuum cleaner, a body portion, a fan case rotatably attached thereto on a transverse horizontal axis and disposed in a longitudinal vertical plane, a handle rigidly attached to the fan case, adjustable means supporting said body portion, and means for eifecting adjustment of 4 said supporting means, including a pull element extending along the handle, said pull element having a flexible portion extending around a portion oi the periphery of said fan case.

4. In a vacuum cleaner, a body portion, a fan case attached thereto on a transverse horizontal axis and disposed in a longitudinal vertical plane, a handle rigidly attached to the fancase, adjustable means supporting said body portion, and means for effecting adjustment of said supporting means, including a pull element extending along the handle, said pull element having a flexible portion extending around a portion of the periphery of said fan case.

5. In a vacuum cleaner, 9, body portion, a handle assembly swingingly attached thereto, adjustable means for supporting said body portion, and means for eflecting adjustment of said supporting means, comprising a flexible adjusting member attached to the handle assembly and adjustable radially of the axis of swinging movement thereof, and a cooperating member attached to the supporting means, one of said members having a working race arcuately disposed substantially concentric with the axis of swinging movement of the handle, and the other of said members being in travelling engagement with said working lace, its position determined by the position of adjustment of said adjusting member but substantially unaffected by swinging or the handle assembly.

6. In a vacuum cleaner, a body portion, a handle assembly swingingly attached thereto, adjustable means for supporting saidbody portion, and means for eflectlng adjustment of said supporting means, comprising an adjusting member attached to the handle assembly and adjustable radially of the axis of swinging movement thereof, and a cooperating member attached to the supporting means, one of said members having a working face arcuately disposed substantially concentric with the axis of swinging movement of the handle, and the other of said members comprising a roller in travelling engagement with said working face, its position determined by the position of adjustment of said adjusting member but substantially unaifected by swinging of the handle assembly.

7. In a vacuum cleaner, a body portion, a handle assembly swingingly attached thereto, adjustable means for supporting said ,body portion. and means for effecting adjustment of said supporting means, comprising a flexible adjusting member attached to the handle assembly and adjustable radially of the axis of swinging movement thereof, a cooperating member attached to the supporting means, one of said members having a working face arcuately disposed substantially concentric with the axis of swinging movement of the handle, and the other of said members being in travelling engagement with said working face, its position determined by the position of adjustment of said adjusting member but substantially unaffected by swinging of the handle assembly, and means located at the upper end of the handle assembly, for determining the position of adjustment of said adjusting member.

8. In a vacuum cleaner, a body portion, a handle assembly swingingly attached thereto, adjustable means for supporting said body portion, and means for efiecting adjustment c said supporting means, comprising an adjusting member attached to the handle assembly and adjustable radially of the axis of swinging move ment thereof, a cooperating member attached to the supporting means, one of said members having a working face arcuately disposed substantially concentric with the axis of swinging movement of the handle, and the other of said members being in travelling engagement with said working face, its position determined by the position of adjustment of said adjusting member but substantially unaffected by swinging of the handle assembly, and means for determining the position of adjustment of said adjusting mem-' ber, comprising an operating device at the upper end of the handle and a flexible pull element extending along the handle from said operating device to said adJusting member.

DEWEY M. now. 

